Falling
by theescapist99
Summary: MCR story. Gerard is raped, but that isn't what breaks him. No longer a oneshot.
1. Part 1: The Party

A/N: I honestly have no idea.

Falling.

Gerard was falling. He knew it was inevitable. He tried to brace himself. He looked up at the cause of his fall with wide eyes. Mikey. Mikey had pushed him. Gerard had just seconds ago, ran into their hotel room, sobbing. He had immediately tried to seek shelter in Mikey's arms. He collided into Mikey, embracing him. And Mikey pushed him. Why? They had had an argument days before. Yet it was small and petty, and Gerard could not even remember at the moment what they had been fighting about. Gerard had always seen Mikey as his protector, as Gerard was his. They were supposed to protect each other, no matter what.

Just hours before, Gerard had gone to a party. He had been going to these a lot, since Lindsey divorced him. Since she took full custody of Bandit. And tonight, he had been invited by none other than Bert McCracken, who he had, as of lately, become quite enamored with. Bert promised to show him a good time. Gerard probably should have known better than to trust him, with a remark like that, but he acted like he often was nowadays - foolish.

He wouldn't deny he had developed somewhat of a schoolboy crush on Bert as of lately. He didn't want to think it was because he was vulnerable, or on the rebound. He told himself it could be a new beginning for him. Hell, he thought he might be done with women all together.

So Gerard had gone, giddy at the idea of seeing Bert and anticipating a good time. He remembered his band mate's accusing glares as he had left. None of them had been on good terms with him as of lately, really. Frank had been irate with him since he had begun talking to Bert again. Ray was ticked at him over mere artistic differences. So when he left that night, he had not gotten so much as a goodbye. And he was fine with that - Gerard was nearly as ticked with them as they were with him.

Gerard had arrived at the party. There was a medium sized crowd. It was a house party, in a home somewhat far from the more populated area. Bert had greeted him, shoving booze into his hands immediately. And he drank, and he drank, and he drank.

At some point, Bert had started play fighting with him. Just a little roughing up, just like men often do. Bert insisted he was just a drunk as Gerard, so it was a fair match. But Bert just kept hitting him. Gerard asked him to stop. Gerard thought he felt his jaw break. Fearfully, Gerard realized Bert wasn't going to stop.

Once Bert had beaten him into the ground, a few more of Bert's friends joined in. They kicked at him. Punched him in the gut various times. They picked him up by his hair and threw him into things. They smashed his face into various objects. They joked to the watching crowd that it was the entertainment for the night. Like they had planned this.

All he could see and taste was blood and alcohol. When Bert and his friends left him for a moments time, conversing among themselves, Gerard had reached for his phone. He called Frank, he called Mikey, he called Ray. At least 2 times each. Frank he had called 3 times. But no one would answer. He knew they were just there, back at the hotel. He knew Mikey never left his phones' side for more than five seconds. Did they really hate him that much?

"The fuck is this?", Bert had asked, grabbing Gerard's phone and smashing it into a wall. The men were sneering, and Gerard knew he had angered them. "You've been bad.", Bert had laughed. "Bad boys ought to be punished."

They lifted Gerard off the ground and stripped him completely naked. Whistles and catcalls rang throughout the room. Suddenly, hands. Hands everywhere. What felt like hundreds of them. Groping and grabbing at him. Caressing his most private of areas. "No...wait...please...don't..." Gerard had slurred out. But no one heard him.

Then after, hands became tongues. Disgusting, slimy things licking every inch of him. Leaving horrid moist trails of spit all over him. After which, Gerard was forced to return the favors. An array of genitalia shoved into his mouth, female and male alike. He gagged and spat but they wouldn't let up. They beat him as they continued to molest him. They beat him until he wept. And then they mocked him for it.

Then came penetration. First by fingers. Then by the erect hardness' of the men around him. By women, objects like broken bottles. He could feel the blood running down his legs, mixing with his own sweat and the sweat of others that covered him and drenched him. He was pinned against walls, thrown against them. He was pinned down to the floor, and thrown upon them as well. He was thrust upon, feeling his pelvic area being battered and bruised.

They took turns with him. As everyone watched, jeering and sneering. Although some had not touched him, they ravaged him with their eyes. They humiliated him none the less. And that was really all the whole night was put into one word: humiliation. Pain was a huge factor in it as well, but somehow that only came second.

Gerard thought he remembered screaming Frank or Mikey's name at some point. In some weird, desperate, delusional attempt to call for help that he knew would never come. Bert had laughed at him. "Do you really think they're coming to save you? They fucking hate you now. They don't give a shit about you. As a matter of fact... well... let's just say this whole thing may have been inspired by an idea of theirs..."

"You're lying." Gerard had hissed. But he remembered his neglected attempts to call them, and doubt stirred at the pit of his stomach.

They had continued on for hours. When they had finally finished him off, when they all had had their fill, Bert and another man threw him out into a grassy knoll not too far off. Bleeding and mangled, he laid there helpless for what felt like ages. The whole while, he only wished he could go home. To his bandmates. His friends. His family. Finally, a car had driven up. Gerard saw with fear that it was a man from the party. But then man was gentle. He picked Gerard up, and took him to the car, where he offered him clothes. The man had taken pity on Gerard, and asked him if he wanted to go to the hospital. Gerard asked to go home to Mikey. The man asked him if he was so sure that was a good idea, remembering what Bert had said. Gerard insisted, and the man had agreed.

And that brings us back to where we are now. As it had been said before, Gerard had ran into Mikey's arms, only to be pushed away. And as Gerard fell to the ground, he could feel his heart break far worse than it had ever been.

He crashed on the floor, all his trust shattering along with himself.


	2. Part 2: Voicemail

A/N: So I'm not sure what this is going to be. Right now, I don't feel like there's a lot of places for this story to go. So I doubt it'll be a series like "Pretty Eyes" or "I Have No Mouth". But none the less, it's still something. Let's call it... a bundle of one shorts revolving around a particular event? I don't even know haha. But keep note that I have no idea where this is going to stop. Could stop here for all I know.

Part 2: Voicemail

Frank was definitely having a strange night. First Gerard had left without saying a word to them. Considering, they weren't exactly on nice terms, but you know, he could've at least told them where he was going at 11 at night. So when they all got these frantic calls from Gerard about an hour later, they scoffed and let it go to voicemail. If he couldn't take the time to tell them where he was going, they supposed they couldn't take the time to answer his phone calls. "Probably just wants us to pick him up because he got too drunk." sighed Mikey. Well, they definitely wouldn't be bothered to do that.

Then, a couple of hours after that, he had gotten three text messages from number's he didn't even recognize. Text messages that said things like "Fuck you, you sick fucks." and "You think that shit was funny? No one deserves to be raped. Rot in hell." When he responded back with "What the fuck are you talking about?" to each of them, he had gotten nothing back. He had shown them to Mikey and Ray, who were both just as puzzled as he.

So then when Gerard just bursted into their hotel room hours or so after, collapsing into Mikey, Frank was really alarmed. Even more so when Mikey pushed him to the ground - out of shock or disgust, Frank wasn't sure.

"Oh, get up, you drama queen." Mikey sneered down at his brother. Gerard groaned, face down on floor.

"Holy shit dude, I think he might actually be hurt." said Ray, getting up from the couch next to Frank to go examine the scene. Gerard had started sobbing with steadily increasing volume. Mikey's face seemed to struggle to keep its irritated look, slowly turning into a concerned one.

Ray went to Gerard's side and turned him over. What they saw earned a cry of alarm out of all of them. Gerard was covered in injuries and bruises. Visible blows that could in no way have resulted from a simple fall to the floor.

"HOLY FUCK, GERARD WHAT HAPPENED?" Mikey got down on his knees to meet his brother, completely losing all cool.

Frank's heart pounded in his chest. He felt like he was walking in slow motion, but in reality he sped over as fast as he could. What the hell was happening now? He reached Gerard and tried to examine the damage. He ordered Ray to get him a couple of ice packs as he elevated Gerard's head.

Mikey was kneeling on the floor, his hand over his mouth, feeling extremely shaken. There was no way he could have done this. No way. Gerard wouldn't stop crying. Stop fucking crying, dammit! Please stop crying... it makes the guilt so much worse...

But no one was paying attention to Mikey. Ray was panicking. Frank was trying to calm Gerard down. After a moment, Frank sort of froze. His hand had been supporting Gerard's head from the back for some time now, and he paused and removed it. Getting a good look at it, Frank's eyes went wide to see that it was blanketed in blood. It had blended in with Gerard's red hair dye. He finally turned his fearful expression to Mikey and said "We have to take him to the hospital."

Gerard lay on the hospital bed, hooked up to an assortment of things. The damage the physician read off to Mikey was unbelievable. Three broken ribs, a broken sternum, a broken ankle, a broken mandible bone, and a heavy amount of internal bleeding. Not to mention several lacerations all over his body. He would require several surgeries to get him stable again. Mikey sat with Gerard as the physician explained this to him, and Gerard was hesitant to signed the informed consent he was given. Mikey insisted that Gerard take the treatment, perhaps still feeling guilty about earlier. Yet Gerard seemed wary of Mikey. He would flinch when Mikey reached out to touch him. It was quite unsettling.

Gerard eventually did sign the forms, and all that was left after that was to figure out: what happened? It was on everyone's minds. Gerard was refusing to divulge. Gerard had been given some painkillers in the meantime, and they eventually lulled him into a slumber. The boys left him to it and went out into the cafeteria. They were on the 8th floor that was strictly for celebrities and victims of severe crime, so they were unable to go down into the rest of the hospital.

It was when they took their seats with nothing more than waters, as no one could fathom eating at the time, that Frank noticed something on his phone.

"He left a voicemail." Frank announced to the rest of them. They had nearly forgotten about the calls they had all gotten from him earlier that night. He looked around to see if anyone else was nearby, but luckily the place was desolate. He put the phone on speaker and had it dial voicemail.

First, they only heard breathing.

A strange, panting noise.

Finally a voice. Gerard's voice. He was sobbing.

"...Frankie?" it started off hesitantly, high pitched, before pausing to sob some more.

"...Frankie... please help me...I'm at Bert's...I..."

More sobbing.

"...I think they're going to kill me, Frankie... please come get me... I don't wanna die Frankie, I don't wanna die..."

His cries became more and more hysterical.

"...please Frankie, I'm sorry...I'm sorry... please, I'm begging you... help me...I'm so scared...Fr - AGHHH! AGHHHHH!"

Then another man's voice, a familiar voice was heard.

"The fuck is this?" it bellowed loudly. Gerard could still be heard screaming, terrified in the background. There was a strange crushing noise. Silence. And then the pleasant female voice of the phone, asking if them if they would like to return the message sender's call.


	3. Part 3: Blood Brothers

"_[Mama's] meant to feel like a letter from the trenches — which can very much describe how you're feeling in a band, that alienation. There's been these moments when I've felt like I wanted my mother, you know, I'm in this big, crazy world now, people are trying to fuck me or kill me, I don't know who my friends are, and it's like, 'Mom, I'm not ready for this.'" _

—

_Gerard Way. _

Part 3: Blood Brothers

Guilt. It plagued everyone's mind. Mikey doubted either Ray nor Frank was doing worse than him. He couldn't bring himself to look Gerard in the face. Two missed calls. Two missed fucking calls on his phone that he intentionally did not answer. And now his brother was struggling to breathe.

What could he possibly say to Gerard at this point? He was sorry? Sorry he ignored his cries for help and shoved him to the ground? Sorry he allowed him to be attacked and beaten, when all it would have taken was answering one fucking phone call?

The physician kept saying he was in critical condition. They didn't want to promise anything. God, what if he didn't make it? Mikey would consider it all his fault. The idea of losing Gerard alone was devastating enough.

Frank had been keeping watch on Gerard, faithful as ever. Yet Gerard seemed afraid of Frank. Did he just dislike the idea of being touched because of what happened? Or was there more to it than that? Mikey knew the only way this would ever get solved is if he found out the truth.

"Please talk to me." he sighed as he stood by Gerard's bedside. Gerard only looked at him, almost suspiciously. "Gerard, please." Mikey begged and he sat down and reached out to grab Gerard's IV-attached hand. Gerard snatched it away as though Mikey had burned him. Mikey wasn't too surprised, although he became alarmed at what he saw when he looked up.

Tears. Tears were rolling quietly down Gerard's face. It was the first reaction they had gotten out of Gerard sine he was admitted. While Mikey usually hated to see Gerard cry, he hoped that this might be the start of Gerard opening up to him. He stayed silent, waiting with baited breath.

"Why?" Gerard said so softly, Mikey would have missed it had their environment not been completely silent.

"Why, what sweetie?" Mikey tried to match Gerard's tone as to not frighten him back into silence. It was a very delicate situation.

"Why did you do this to me? I know I haven't been the best brother, or friend. I know I haven't been the best person. I know I've fucked up before. But did I really deserve this?" Mikey tried to talk and express his confusion, but Gerard wouldn't let him. Gerard rambled on. His soft, hurt tone became increasingly louder and angrier. "Dammit, Mikey! I thought you loved me! I fucking loved you more than anything in the world! I loved all of you!" Gerard began to sob heavily "How could you do this to me? H-how could you?"

"Gerard, I have no idea what you're talking about!" Mikey finally yelled at him, feeling it was the only way he was going to get through.

"Stop trying to fucking deny it! Bert already told me last night was your idea!"

"What? What was my idea?"

"Th - they - "

Mikey could tell Gerard was having a difficult time saying it. His hands gripped his sheets and he looked down at his lap. Mikey knew this to be Gerard's "embarrassed" expression. Whatever had happened, he was ashamed of it.

It was only then that the idea of rape occurred to Mikey. He remembered the text messages Frank had gotten hours ago. He frowned and debated asking. He tried touching Gerard's leg, and Gerard recoiled it quickly. His monitor showed an increase in heart rate.

"Gerard, I'm still not sure what you're talking about. But you must know - you have to know, I would NEVER do anything to hurt you." Mikey pleaded with him. "I can't even fathom the idea…."

"I don't know…" Gerard moaned, cradling his head in his hands. "I don't know if I can trust you… I don't know who to trust right now… I'm so sorry, Mikey…."

Mikey was getting teary eyed himself, his heart in his throat. "GERARD, PLEASE! How can I make this right if you won't even fucking talk to me? God, isn't it enough that this is going to haunt me for the rest of my life? Is that what you want to hear? Because I know it's going to Gee. Because I've tried so hard to protect you all these years! And the one second I turn my back, and you end up in the hospital…. FUCK!" Mikey was now bawling, while Gerard sat and watched his brother break down in silence.

Gerard wanted to believe Mikey. He wanted to believe him so god damn badly. He wanted to hug him and tell him everything was okay. He wanted everything to be okay again. Yet it felt as though the night before had damaged him irreversibly. It wasn't even about the rape, or the violation he felt. It was about who raped him. People he thought had been friends. People he trusted. Then hearing the idea that Frank or Mikey might have been behind it? Having them ignore his calls? Pushing him to the ground when he only sought comfort? These were all blows that had been dealt while he was still recovering from the blows of his and Lindsey's divorce. It was just one fucking betrayal after another. And he wasn't ready for this. He wasn't ready.

Gerard suddenly felt violently ill. His heart fluttered and twitched in his chest. His airway became very tight, making difficult to breathe. He found himself panting, gasping desperately for air. Sweat poured down his face. The machines around him were going off. Mikey immediately ran from where he sat, going on the door and screaming for help.

People came swarming in like a horde of bees. Mikey was ushered out of the room, although he greatly resisted. Gerard could hear him yelling something at the nurses. He could hear the nurses yelling things to each other. Although he could catch a few words, such as "hypovolemic shock", and "BP" everything sounded distant. As though he was hearing it all from the end of a tunnel.

Suddenly, a sensation he had only just escaped came over him. Violation. Hands, touching him everywhere. While at first he knew it was only medical personnel trying to stabilize him, somehow the clarity of the situation became confused and blurred. A hand grabbed at his throat. His jaw was being pried open. Something was being shoved in his mouth. People were holding him down. No, this couldn't be happening again. Gerard struggled against the hold they had on him. He wanted to scream for help, but it was no use. If no one was going to save him the first time, he doubted anyone was going to come for him now.

Frank watched Mikey and the physician talk about the situation with Gerard. Frank felt terrible for both the Way brothers at the moment. Gerard had obviously been through some horrible ordeal, and Mikey was dying of worry. He was extremely worried himself, especially after seeing Gerard crash like that. They couldn't lose Gee. They just couldn't. He couldn't.

"Your brother went into hypovolemic shock." The physician explained to Mikey, "It's what happens when you've lost a massive amount of blood. His internal bleeding is causing an increasing amount of blood loss. We've stabilized him for now, and he's under heavy sedation. We need to find a lot of blood, and get it in him. Fast. This means blood transfusions. He needs them before we can do any surgeries. You're listed as his medical power of attorney on his advance directive. So while he's knocked out, it's your call kid."

Suddenly, Mikey's eyes lit up. "Gerard and I are the same blood type! You can use mine!"

The physician frowned. "This is a lot of blood we're talking about kid, almost 2,000 mL. I'm not sure…."

In a slightly silly looking gesture, Mikey thrust his extended arms in the physician's face. "I don't care! Take it! Take it all!"

Suddenly, Frank approached them. He said "I believe I too am the same blood type. Is it possible to mix our blood so Mikey wouldn't have to give so much?"

The physician looked taken aback by the proposal. He gave a nod and muttered something about getting the consent forms. Frank looked at Mikey and they smiled at each other. Together, they were going to make this right again. No matter what it took.


	4. Part 4: Charges

A/N: I think part of the reason I'm hesitant to continue this is because of the focus on the hospital setting. I'm currently studying Health Information Technology, and honestly a lot of the procedures described in stories like this are usually inaccurate. I'm trying to make this accurate, but there are some areas where I'm having to guess. I'm not entirely sure what the specifics would be at this point. I mean I more know about coding for reimbursement (ICD-9, CPT etc..) but that doesn't really apply here. I know most people probably don't really care if the story follows like Medicare's Conditions of Participation or anything like that, but the idea that I'm writing something that doesn't makes me twitch a little.

Just had to get that off my chest.

Part 4: Charges

The blood transfusions went well. Gerard's blood pressure went back to normal and he was then ready for surgery. However his emotional state was far from recovered. Mikey, Frank, and Ray all started to talk about pressing charges against Bert McCraken, but it was difficult getting the process started if the only one who was there was still refusing to talk about it. No one wanted to put more pressure on Gerard as mentally he was not in a very nice place, but they did want to get things moving. Frank made the next attempt to talk to him.

He crept down to Gerard's room and sat at the edge of the bed slowly. Gerard did not even look up at him. He was staring outside the window next to him.

"I know he raped you."

Gerard's head snapped towards Frank at that, his eyes wide and seeming horrified that Frank had even said the word.

"Gerard, I know this is hard. But you have to ta- "

"Bert told me it was your idea. You and Mikey." Gerard blurted out.

Frank was at first taken aback that Gerard had said anything at all. Mikey had described the conversation they had had, and from what it sounded like, he really struggled to get even a single word out of him. Why was Gerard opening up to him so easily? Then Frank took in what Gerard actually had said.

"And you listened to him? Gee, have you gone absolutely insane? Why on earth would ever tell anyone to rape you?" Frank openly gaped.

"Well I don't know Frankie, you kind of ignored me for weeks before it happened!" Gerard hissed angrily.

Frank bit his lip. Gerard was right. He had ignored him, but not for a reason he was ready to talk about.

How would he admit that he was jealous of Gerard's obvious crush on Bert McCraken?

He settled on at least some of the truth.

"I didn't like that you were hanging out with Bert again. None of us did, really." Frank started. "He hasn't changed his ways from back when he was fucking 27. He's a bad influence, Gee. I mean if you started using again… it's not exactly something we need right now as a band."

Gerard looked almost disappointed. He looked down at his lap and pouted a little. "Oh I see…" he said "You just don't want me to be a liability." And he looked up at Frank, his irises pools of hurt and anger. "Well hopefully I won't make it through this. You won't have to worry about me then."

"No, Gerard that's not what I'm saying!" Frank grabbed Gerard's hand. Gerard retracted it and turned his head away, back towards the window. Frank felt a rush of anger himself. Why was Gerard being so god damn difficult? On one hand Frank did try to make his explanation sound a bit cold, but only because he was afraid of Gerard going anywhere near the real reason.

That Frank was still in love with him. That he was a 29 year old married father who still had a gay crush on his best friend. How fucked up was that?

On the other hand, while he knew Gerard to be sensitive, he did feel like he was being a bit ridiculous. Frank got up from where he sat and put his jacket back on. He crossed his arms at Gerard, who still refused to look in his direction.

"Fine. Continue to assume the worst of me." Frank growled. "Continue to assume that I thought of you as a burden, or that I fucking asked for you to get raped, even after all the shit I've helped you out with over the years. Fucking believe Bert McCraken over someone whose been actually fucking loyal to you, and you know that! I'll just do you a favor and stay the fuck away so I can't hurt you anymore. Because apparently, I do that often."

Gerard showed absolutely no indication he had even heard him. Frank shook his head and walked out the door, just in time to miss the tears that Gerard would shed only seconds later.

It was 6 PM. Frank came back to the hospital after having about ten to twelve cigarettes and a walk outside. He was lucky no one had recognized him.

The elevator doors opened, revealing the floor he wanted to reach. He was going to meet up with Mikey and Ray and ask them if they wanted to grab a bite to eat. Not that Mikey would ever leave the side of his precious Gerard for more than 10 minutes. Yet Frank was starving and this hospital food was quite bluntly crap.

He walked to Gerard's room and hesitantly peered in. He didn't really want to encounter Gerard after their little argument. It would be a bit did a double take.

It was empty. No Mikey, no Ray.

No Gerard.


	5. Part 5: Informed Consent

Part 5: Informed Consent

Completely disregarding the "no cell phone" rule, Frank had called Mikey and Ray 1,000 times over. Seriously, what was up with people ignoring calls these past two days? He was freaking out. He was trying to find someone who knew what had happened to Gerard. It was difficult because he kept forgetting Gerard had an "AKA name" the hospital assigned to him due to him being famous. So when he stopped a couple of nurses asking about Gerard Way, they just gave him an odd look and kept walking.

The hospital bed hadn't been made up or anything, so he didn't think Gerard died. Oh god, but what if he did? He was about to approach someone again when he finally felt his phone vibrate. Mikey.

"Dude where the fuck did you guys go?" Frank said louder than he should have. People stared at him in alarm. He felt guilty when Mikey answered, sounding like he was on the verge of tears. He explained that Gerard had needed an urgent surgery. He gave Frank their location. Frank responded in a far more gentle tone and headed over.

He met up with Mikey and Ray in a waiting area. Frank sat down next to a distressed Mikey on one of the plastic chairs and slung an arm around him, rubbing his shoulder soothingly. He looked at Ray silently asking for an explanation with his expression. Ray seemed to get the message.

"Gerard crashed again." he explained. "They had been putting off surgery because they didn't know if he was strong enough for it, but now they're saying they can't wait any longer. We had no choice. They made Mikey make a huge decision in a matter of seconds. We chose to risk it."

"Damn, Mikes I'm so sorry..." Frank squeezed Mikey, who still looked frazzled. "He'll be okay."

Yet Frank didn't know that. He knew deep down inside that he could never promise it. But the thought that Gerard might come out of this not okay was too much for Frank to bear. Especially considering their last conversation.

Frank wanted more than anything to burst inside that operating room and give Gerard a big hug, tell him he was sorry. Tell him he loved him and that nothing was going to hurt him anymore. Really, he wanted to say that ever since he had heard the voicemail. He just hadn't been able to bring himself to say it, and he regretted that now. Instead, he had just stormed off on him. 'Great job, Frank…' Frank sarcastically patted himself on the back.

Mikey was not doing much better. He kept running it over and over in his mind. The machines going off. The doctor explaining hurriedly what was happening. The consent form being shoved in his face, asking for a decision. They had told him "Either you don't sign and he dies in minutes or you do and he'll either die an hour later on the table or he'll live." While the choice was obvious, invasive surgery was very risky for Gerard at the moment. What if he had made the wrong call? What if Gerard dies in surgery, but he would have been stabilized anyway had he not gone in? He would have murdered his brother, his best friend. 'You already kinda did that by not answering your phone that night…' a pestering voice reminded him. God, the next time he saw Bert McCracken, he was going to fucking slaughter him. Fuck the consequences.

Ray was in more of a panic than anyone else would know. He would never show it. The other two were already bad enough. He tried to remain the calm one. Yet it was hard knowing the life of one of his best friends was on the line. Not only his best friend, but his own career. Of course one was more important than the other, but the band was a major force in all of their lives. And Ray knew that without Gerard, My Chemical Romance had little to no chance of continuing. Frank had always said they could never replace Gerard, and it had always been sort of a silent agreement. Gerard had always insisted it wasn't his band, but it always was at least to some degree. He was their leader, backed by his two best friends and his little brother. It wouldn't feel right without him. That including the devastation the death would leave on all of them, and their families. Ray and Gerard always joked that they could communicate with one another telepathically. Ridiculous as it was, Ray then tried sending some thoughts to Gerard from one room away. He shut his eyes, concentrated hard, and tried to envision actually talking to Gerard. He told him 'C'mon buddy, hang in there. We need you. And we all love you so, so much. Don't give up on us now….'

An hour of silent prayers later, the surgeon emerged out of the operating room and beckoned them forward.


End file.
